Hampton employees protest triple hit to their paychecks

March 18, 2010|By By Samieh Shalash | 247-4537

Two Hampton City Schools employees addressed the School Board on Wednesday to protest triple hits to their paychecks next year: A salary cut, loss of stipends and increased out-of-pocket health care costs.

Every employee — from the superintendent on down — will take at least a 1.6 percent reduction in salary in the $187.3 million proposed 2011 budget, which reflects about $25 million in cuts. Eleven-month employees such as reading coaches and technical education teachers are hit hardest, with a 9 percent pay reduction after their work schedules are cut to 10 months.

Pennie Brown, a CTE teacher at Eaton Middle, told the board that his 9 percent salary cut combined with losing part of his stipend for being an instructional leader equals an 11 percent pay cut.

"Think about that, and try to come up with a little better solution," he told the board.

Teresa Craig, a special-education bus driver, asked the board to reconsider taking away an annual $1,500 stipend for driving the special-ed buses. Bus drivers make about $15,000 a year.

Bus drivers are also losing a $150 bonus for every nine weeks of perfect attendance on the job.

Craig also brought up increased medical coverage costs, which will take a much bigger chunk out of every employee's paycheck next year. For example, single employees will go from paying $8 to paying $82 for an HMO plan next year, about a 1,000 percent increase.

Employees with family coverage will go from paying $212 to paying $434 for HMO coverage, on top of the 1.6 percent pay cut.

District officials explained that the increase comes from shifting 5 percent of the employer cost and the entire 7 percent premium increase for 2011 to employees.

The district is still adjusting its proposed budget, which might increase by $3 million because of changes in the General Assembly's budget, which it approved Sunday.